Circuit-controller.



No. 877,427. PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908.

L. F. HOWARD.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908.

L. P. HOWARD. CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATESPATENT oFFioE.

LEMUEL FREDERIC HOWARD,- 0F EDGEWOOD PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, Ass eNoR TO THE OFSWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION.

UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA;

Specification of Letters Fatent. Application-filed August 311 1906-. Serial No. 328.998-

, CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

Patented Jan. 21, 1908.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEMUEL FREDERIG HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing. at Edgewood Park, Allegheny county,

State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cir- My invention relates to circuit controllers Q My inventlon particularly relates to circuit controllers used in connection with railway appliances such as a. switch or signal or ingas secured toa plate 1) by binding A A, and the with apparatus for operating railway appliances, as for example, power operated switch and lock'movements.

I will describe a' circuit controller and a modification-thereof each embodying my invention and their point out the novel features thereof in claims.

,In' the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section of a circuit controller embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a tap plan view thereof. -Fig. 3 is a view sim' arto Fig. 1 but showing some of the parts in 'a different position. Fig. 4. is a view similar to Figs. land 3, but showing a modification embodying my invention.

Similar letters of reference designate cor--' responding partsin all of the figures.

A, A designate two compartments which may be integral or not, as desired, and which are fixed to a support-by suitable means, as for example, by bolts B. Each compartment is provided with a top a, which is hinged to a plate a}, forming a cover for a part of the circuit controller td be-hereinafter de-' scribed. The late a is i'emovably secured bv bolts a to t e walls of the compartments late a is provided with downwardly exten ing portions, a (1*, rovided with openings. A felt or othersuita le pack- 1s provided between the adjacent faces of the plates, 01 ,11 and the walls of the compartments.

Each compartment contains one or more contact springs c, c,"etc., which are suitably osts d, d, The conductors with which t e contact springs are connected are led into the compartments through openings (1 provided in walls of the compartments. The plate p is shown as being provided with ribs 1), the

contact springs being arranged between the ribs, and the plate 19 carries pieces of insulation i which serves to insulate the contact springs c, 0 etc. from the plate A. sheet of insulation '5 is providedinthe bottom of the compartmentas shown, upon whichthe plate p rests, and serves to insulate the contact spring. and plate from the compartment. The, contact springs c, 0 etc. ,and plate may be removed from a com artment for adjustment, cleaning, etc.,it eing removably secured therein by a pin p canyin'ginsulation if and extending through the side walls of the compartment and through the ribs 12 I D, 1,), etc. designate movable contact pieces, one such'contact piece being-preferably provided for each pair of" contact springs c, c; 0 0", etc. i The number of contact springs c, c, etc.,, and contact pieces D, I), may vary accordin circuits to he control ed.. Each contact iece is'carried by and suitablyinsuiated om a reciprocating rod E. As shown inthe drawings, .the movable contacts .1), D etc., are arranged in pairs and. each pair is removably secured to a cross piece-E which in turn. is removably connected with the re ciprocating rod E, The rod extends through the openings in theportions a a, the open ings being made weather-tight. r The-"rod E is reciprocated through a toothed part G, here shown as being a twotoothed pinion and 9, 9' beingtwoyteeth.

The inion G is mounted on apin g and. is provided with an extension 9:? carryin aroller g which fits in a recess 6 provide in the rod with the in g to give reverse reciprocations to the ro E by a reci rocating part H, which is suitably connecte either W113i a railway part or appliance or vwitha movable part of an apparatus for moving arailway part or ap liance. The part H, as shown, is pro 'vi ed with two'openings h, h and adjacent each opening is a stud or projection hi. In one direction of movement of. the part H, a projection k causes the tooth g to enter the opening it and thus rock the art G in one direction to reciprocate the ro E, and in the reverse direction of movement, of the part H a projection 72, causes the tooth g to enter the opening h and thus rock the pinion G in to the number, of

E. The pinion G is rocked on or" are out of engagement with their pairs ofcontacts, and the part G is held or locked-in this-position. It will thus be seen that a circuit isonly made at the extreme'movement .of the reciprocation part, and that the circuits so established are broken immediately that the reciprocating part is moved in a reverse direction, and that all circuits are held or locked open whenthe reciprocating part is in any'position other than itsextreme positions.

7 Instead of a reciprocating rod E, a drum M carrying a contact piece m may be substituted The contact piece. m is suitably secured in the drum Min insulation m and in," this form of the invention the contact springs c, '0 etc., are carried through the openings in the portions (1 a. Insulation 43in this form of the invention is substituted for the-felt aclring a The operation of this'form of tii It will be seen, therefore, that a circuit controller embodying my invention conipart is'reversed, and the locking of all. cir'-,

cuits in an open position when the reciprocating-part 1s m a t'reme positions;

e invention is the same as that, described in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

position intermediate its exdisengaged with'said contact. springs, a two,-

toothed pinion connected with said contact iece and a reversel reci rocatin art adapted to alternately engage said teet at the extremes of its movement and to hold said pinion in a neutral position when not in an extreme position.

' 2. In a circuit controller, the combination with a plurality of oppositely arranged contact springs, a movable contact piece ada ted to be alternately engaged w th and isengaged from said contact springs, a toothed pinion connected with said movable contact,

and a reversely reciprocating part for operating said toothed pinion, said reciprocating part only operating the toothed pinion at the beginning and extremes of its movements and holding the toothed pinion against movements at any point intermediate the extremes, of the movements of'the reciprocatirig part.

3. In a circuit-controller, the combination with several pairs of contact springs oppositely arranged, a contact piece for each pair of springs, va two-toothed pinion connected with said contact ieces, and a reversely reciprocating part 'or operating said toothed pinion at the extremes of its movement to have'the contact pieces engage alternately the pairs of contact springs, and to hold the contact pieces disengaged when in any position otherthan an extreme positlon.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribed Witnesses.

LEMUEL FREDERIU HOWARD.

Witnesses: l

D. J. OARTHY, W. L, MoDANlnL. 

